The present invention relates in its most general sense to n-dimensional spatial, or spatial and temporal, data distribution analysis systems. More particularly, the invention relates to such devices capable of monitoring and controlling progressive analysis through sequential topological transformations in metric spatial models. In a more limited sense, the invention relates to systems for recognizing and extracting form features and their spatial relationships in a two-dimensional visual field.
Presently available information processing systems leave considerable room for improvement in their abilities to provide spatial/temporal data distribution form and feature analyses, especially for forms with more than two dimensions. Such systems have application in a wide range of areas, including complex problems in relativity physics, field theory, and time-variant systems modeling, as well as more fundamental problems of volumetric and planar image analyses.
Various classes of form analysis devices have been proposed for performing certain spatial/temporal operations of data reduction. In general, however, such devices have distinct and significant limitations in the ranges of practical problems to which they can be applied. Apart from practical limitations involving processing speed, size, and cost, a particularly common limitation in form analysis devices is sensitivity to only a limited range of form features, as contrasted with a more universal sensitivity to a wide range of features or form trends. Accordingly there is a clear need for a spatial/temporal data processing device capable of handling a wide range of problems at a rapid data rate and within reasonable size and cost limitations. The present invention is directed to these and other related ends.